Learn from the Handbook: Pace Yourself

This week, we’re introducing a new feature here at Cracker
Barrel in honor of the recent release of the Boy Scout Handbook. We call it Learn
from the Handbook.

Yes, technically the handbook is meant for boys. But it’s
hard to resist cracking it open and taking a look for yourself. Those adults
who do will find a treasure chest of information that’s useful not just in
Scouting but in life, as well.

So each week we’ll bring you fascinating tips and tricks to
help you live better both in and out of the world of Scouting.

This week’s edition, “Pace yourself,” teaches you a quick
way to approximate distances. This might not be the best method for buying
plywood at Home Depot, but if you’re creating an impromptu baseball diamond at
camp, this skill will prove valuable as you measure the 60 feet from home plate
to first base.

The calibration is the only hard part. You’ll need to figure
out the length of your stride by finding—or setting up—a 100-foot course on the
ground. To do this, you can use a tape measure to mark the course. If you don’t
have one of those handy, find a football field and walk from the goal line to one
foot past the 33-yard hash mark.

After the course is ready, walk at a normal pace to the end
of the 100-foot line, counting steps along the way. Now divide the total number
of steps you counted into 100, and that’s the length in feet of one step. Remember
this number.

From now on, if you need a quick measurement, simply
multiply the total number of steps you count by the length of your stride.
Congratulations! You’re now a human tape measure.

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Bryan on Scouting is the official blog of Scouting magazine, a Boy Scouts of America publication. Scouting magazine is published five times a year and is received by 1 million registered adult volunteers.